Improvement in apparatus for m atc ng gas



' and the like.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIG,

`JOSEPH D. PATTON, 0F TREVORTON, PENNSYLVANIA.`

IMPROVEMENT INAPPARATAUS FOR MAK NG GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,610, dated JanuaryS0, 1874; application filed November l5, 1873. p

' To all 'whom it may concern.'

retort, without subjecting it from the rst to the intense heat necessaryto convert it into iixed gas, and` to provide for 'the purification andstorage of the gas in a simple and efficient way, the apparatus beingmore particularly intended for small works for individual use, Theinvention consists, first, of one or more retorts of any form, asangular, cylindrical, or D-shaped, so set or placed in a furnace as tosecure tempera-tures varying from bright-red heat at one end to verydull red heat, or below any redness, at the other end of the sameretort, with connectionswarranged to admit the oil at the coolest part,and cause it to pass along to the hottest part and out thereat whenconverted into gas. The graduated heat is secured by protecting aportion of the retort by embedding a portion partly, and an otherportion wholly, within the brick-work of the furnace, or by otherequivalent protection by masonry or metal, or by varying the thicknessofthe retort itself. Second, the invention consists of a condenserlocated in the gas-holder, said condenser being a vesselof cylindricalor other form, divided .longitudinally into two or more compartments,

communicating with each other at top and bottom, the inlet-pipe from theretort communicating with one compartment near the bottom, anescape-pipe connecting with the bottom of theother, an exhaust-pipe fortaking out thedeposit, and both compartments being surrounded withwater. Third, a small boiler 0r water-heater, communicating `with thewater-tank surrounding the condenser by two pipes, one lower than theother, the boiler being below the water-level, and having means forheating the water to prevent the water of the condenser from freezing incold weather by the circulation which is maintained in it by means ofthe heater so connected.`

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a furnace, retort-condenser, andwater-heater constructed according to a plan by which my invention maybe carried out. Fgs.-2 and 3 are sectional elevations of retorts,showing different modes by which the heat can be graduated. Y

Similar letters of reference indicate corre* sponding parts.

A represents the furnace; B, the retort; C,

the inlet-pipe for the oil; I), the gaspipe,eon`

nectin g the retort with the condenser-chamber E; F, the water-tank; G,the water-heater; H and l, pipes connecting it with the water-tank; J,gas-pipe for burning a jet under the heater; K, 'escape-pipe for the gasfrom the condenser; and'L, a waste or drip-pipe for taking out the dripor condensed gas from the, bottom of the condenser by a pump attached tothe pipe at` the top. The part a of the retort is wholly eX- p posed tothe heat of the furnace. Part bis partly exposed, part el still less,and part e is exposed to the atmosphere. i

The method of operation is as follows: Crude petroleum or benzine is letinto the protected end of the retort, from which it gradually passesalong in the direction in which, the heat increases, while the gasifyingprocess is going on, to the hottest part a.; next to the escapepipe,where it arrives in the form of xed gas,

and escapes to the condenser, which is to be within the gas-holder. Herethe gas comes in contact with cold surfaces, i by wlnch it 1s purifiedand condensed, and 1t escapes :into

the holder, which may be arranged in the wa,-`

ter-tank of the condenser, as indicated in dotted lines O, or in anyother approved way. The drip caused by condensation falls into thebottom of the condensingchambers, below the inlet-pipe, and is pumpedout from time to time through the pipe L. From chamber E of thecondenser the gas passes through pas` sage j' in the partition intochamber E?, from which it escapes near the bottom into the gasholderthrough pipe K. The drip escapes from chamber E1 to E through a smallpassage,

E2. As the gas passes along the pipe D to the condenser, a small portionis diverted to the burner J, under the Watenheater, for heating it tokeep the Water of the condenser and tank from freezing when the furnaceis not in operation, so that the heat cannot be obtained from it.

In Fig. 3 I have represented a retort with one portion made much thickerat the receiving end, and gradually lessening in thickness to themiddle, or thereabout, for graduating the heat; and in Fig. 3 I haverepresented a cylindrical retort With a tapered jacket, N, ofnon-conducting material, as another means of graduating the heat.

Some ofthe advantages of this arrangement are, first, a graduated heatis secured to the retort in a simple manner; second, condensation issecured without the use of a pump or iiow of Water, and at the same timethe remaining heat of the gas is utilized to prevent the condenser andWater in the tank from freezing, in Consequence of the arrangement ofthe condenser Within the gas-holder; and, third, a convenient, reliable,and tvet simple means of keeping the Water of the condenser and tankfrom freezing while the furnace is not in operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as neur and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The retort B, having the rear end incombustion-chamber of furnace A, With a second portion partly, and athird portion Wholly, om bedded in masonry, the oil being admitted atfront, as described, so that the oil will be gradually heated andfinally evaporated be fore leaving -tl1e retort, in the manner setforth.

2. The combination, With tank F, of the condenser E, having alongitudinal partition, and provided with a gas-exit at the top and aliquid-exit at the bottom, as and for the pui pose specified.

3. A Water-heater, G, and a gas-burner, J, in combination with theWater-tank ofthe condenser, in the manner described, to protect it fromfreezing, substantially as specified.

JOSEPH DESHA PATTON.

Vitn esses J. D. NEWBAKER, A. A. NEWBAKER.

